The Vigour of Youth: YCP Middle East
The Young Clinician Program (YCP) of the Africa and Middle Eastern Association of Gastroenterology (AMAGE) is working to raise the medical standards of young African and Middle Eastern physicians and to not only build social bridges between them but also with young clinicians in other zones.
The Young Clinician Program is targeted at clinicians of 40 years and under, of both genders, and is aimed at elevating the practical and clinical expertise of young gastroenterologists.
This is achieved by exposing young clinicians, through an exchange program, to the practices of different gastroenterological schools among AMAGE national societies, and by giving them the opportunity to attend the different Gastroenterology courses and assume the responsibilities of co-chairing congresses. Young clinicians are also given the opportunity to share their knowledge of other disciplines through Combined Studies.
The YCP’s history is a study in what may be achieved from humble beginnings. The organisation had its origins in 1988 as an exchange program for foreign doctors during the annual congress of the Syrian Society of Gastroenterology (SSGE). Initially, 40 young doctors and medical students were involved, and from this program, six were able to get help to continue their specialisation abroad, in England, Germany, France & the USA.
In 1997, the program formally became known as the Young Clinician Program (YCP) and was constituted as a division of the Pan Arab Association of Gastroenterology (PAAG). Through the program, 22 young clinicians were able to benefit from internships in some of the excellent gastroenterology centers in Egypt, Germany, France and Italy.
From 2001 to the present YCP has continued to work within the structures of AMAGE, and six new centres have been added, in Syria, Egypt, India and Germany. During the first two-year cycle of the new millennium, 14 young doctors were selected for training, and since then further centers have been added, notably in Iran.
The work of the YCP is organised into several programs:
- The Practical Training Program arranges internships of 1-2 months for YCP members in one of the training centers.
- The International Congresses Program provides full coverage for two young doctors every year to attend one of the international congresses or workshops.
- The Social Program is aimed at developing the characters of the young professionals who work in this exacting field and creating a new generation of medical experts in the fields of gastroenterology and hepatology. The program also facilitates the sharing of medical publications and generates support for the practice of evidence based medicine
- The Grants Program, funded by the Gastroenterology Foundation in Munich, provides grants of €1500 each for two young doctors every year.
The program still has some urgent practical needs if it is to achieve lasting success – it requires a permanent secretary, and available funds to deal with logistical issues such as transport and accommodation for delegates to conferences and for interns. Funds are also required if it is to effectively support the main international focus weeks such as UEGW and DDW.
Despite the challenges it continues to face, the YCP is an excellent example of what can be achieved when the WGO works with committed people on the ground in our member countries.
YCP may be contacted through:
Fayez Sandouk fayezs@scs-net.org
Chairman YCP in AMAGE
P.O. box 1222, Damascus , Syria.
Tel. 00963. 93. 26 56 36 , Fax 00963. 11. 441 9358
